Chuck Versus the Bearded Bandit
Chuck Versus the Bearded Bandit is the second episode of the fifth season which aired on November 4, 2011. Summary Chuck and the team take the case of a man (Jeff Fahey) whose brother (Justin Hartley) has been kidnapped, but soon realize that things may not exactly be as they seem. Meanwhile, Gertrude Verbanski (Carrie-Anne Moss), a rival spy, attempts to woo Sarah away from Carmichael Industries. Full Plot Main Story Chuck, Sarah and Casey are presenting their services in front of an audience of potential clients with a serious attitude. However, their thunder and clients are stolen by Gertrude Verbanski, of Verbanski Corporation, who shows off more dramatics with more men and targeting lasers. Casey grumbles when they get back to Echo Park, revealing to have encountered the ex-KGB agent before in Minsk, 1995, when she bested him and made a scar over his other scar. At the Buy More, Morgan zooms in on another bearded man, learning he's Karl Sneijder, a man with criminal ties. Without thinking or listening to Chuck, he zooms on fighting techniques and pounces on Karl. However, it turns out that Karl was their new client. Karl tells Team Bartowski that his brother Wesley is being held hostage in a guarded compound because he owes the kidnappers money and they sent him his brother's finger. He gives them $200,000 up front and promises more of the same when they bring him his brother. While Casey scouts out the compound, determining it to impenetrable at the front, he and Sarah puts Chuck up to the task of being Morgan's handler so that he will not let the Intersect run away with him. But, when Chuck and Morgan are at a convenience store and a robbery is taken place, Morgan puts on a Halloween mask and attacks the gunman, calling him the Bearded Bandit, putting panic into the store clerk even more, as Chuck told him that bandit still means as much as robber. But as the gunman gets up and is about to shoot Morgan, Chuck comes in and disarms him. They both run as police sirens are heard. The next morning, the others confront Chuck for letting Morgan get spotted, reminding him that they're a legitimate corporation, not vigilantes. As they perform the mission, Chuck reluctantly tells Morgan to wait in the van. But once the team gets inside the compound, they find Wesley, who quickly sounds the alarm. As it turns out, Wesley is in witness protection and in hiding from his brother, who was the one who cut off his finger. As Wesley's guards comes in, Morgan defies orders and knocks out all the guards, before zooming on Wesley and learning of his innocence. Getting Wesley to the safety of Castle, Team Bartowski confronts Karl via computer. Karl is not happy that they found out and demands that they hand over his brother or he'll come after them. Everyone thinks that it'd be wise to call in General Beckman to bring in a strike team but Morgan thinks to simply go after Karl. Once again, in defiance of his team's orders, Morgan takes Chuck to Karl's office, intent on capturing him, despite Chuck's protests. As Morgan runs in, Chuck calls Casey and Sarah. However, Wesley tells them that Karl's office is a fortress once he realizes something is up. After Chuck and Morgan are captured, Sarah reluctantly calls in Verbanski Corp to break in and rescue them before Karl could kill one of them. Though Wesley gives the team $200000 in gratitude, they unfortunately owe money to Verbanski for hiring them. However, Morgan goes behind his teammates' backs to work for Verbanski and reveals to her that he's the Intersect. Verbanski compares Morgan to Luke Skywalker, but strangely, he has forgotten his pop culture. Casey and Verbanski Sarah receives an invitation from Verbanski Corp. Turns out, Verbanski tries convincing Sarah to come and work for her. During the talk, Sarah notices the gun Verbanski stole from Casey in Minsk. Throughout the episode, Casey admits that Verbanski is interested in him. By the end, Casey thinks to ask Verbanski out to dinner but hangs up as soon as she answers. Buy More The Buy More has absolutely no customers whatsoever (even to drive the point home, Morgan had an actual tumbleweed roll around). Big Mike, newly married to Morgan's mother, Bolonia, suggests they use an old commercial he was featured in the 1970s to bring in more customers. However, Chuck reluctantly admits that the video is a little dated. Big Mike gathers the store employees to find out which one of them is suitable for a commercial; none of them are. Just then, Captain Awesome walks in and Big Mike convinces him to help film the commercial. It becomes a success and draws in new customers. Music * Boogie Fever - The Sylvers * Complexity - Boots Electric * Half Moon - Blind Pilot Trivia *Justin Hartley is probably best known, internationally at least, for his turn as Oliver Queen/Green Arrow on Smallville. *Wesley Sneijder, incidentally, is also the name of a soccer star from The Netherlands. *Devon mentions that he modeled for Abercrombie & Fitch in college, a reference to actor Ryan McPartlin's time as a real-life A&F model Category:Episodes Category:Season 5 Television Series Episodes